


2017 Bonnie and Clyde

by AwkwrdCait



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Cheryl being perfect, Dark Betty Cooper, F/M, Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, Veronica being perfect, Young Love, basically they are all perfect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-02 23:29:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13328697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwrdCait/pseuds/AwkwrdCait
Summary: “No one would have expected it. Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones. The cheerleader and the gang leader. And yet it worked. They were like fire and ice. A perfect balance that terrified the masses of Riverdale into doing their bidding.”Based on my need for Betty and Jughead to enable each other but also a G-Easy song.Not proof read tbh cause I don’t have enough friends.





	1. Chapter 1

No one would have expected it. Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones. The cheerleader and the gang leader. And yet it worked. They were like fire and ice. A perfect balance that terrified the masses of Riverdale into doing their bidding. It had all started when the Black Hood had been unhooded, if you will. Betty had been the one to discover who killed Jason Blossom, she single handedly determined it had been the boy’s own father. After that the town had been on a sharp downward spiral. Serial killers, gang wars, secrets spilling left and right, the Southside’s high school was even burned down causing all of the young “riff-raff” to come pouring into the front doors of Riverdale High. Like a tidal wave of angst and 90’s grunge the students of the Southside found their places in the RHS community, some acclimating and some choosing to remain outcasts. One of those outcasts had been Jughead Jones the de facto leader of the Serpents “Hatchlings”, as Cheryl called them (with distain). While Betty had noticed the dark haired boy, she wasn’t blind he was hot as hell, she had had more important things to focus on like receiving calls from a murderer terrorizing the town.

The first time they really spoke was the day after it was revealed to be their creepy janitor under the hood. Betty and her friends we crowded around a picnic table outside even though it was winter. The group had briefly spoken about the obvious before moving on to the menial things they would have spoken about before their hellish last few months. Betty wanted to be invested in the conversation, she really did but it all just seemed pointless. As she listened to Cheryl and Veronica discuss the merits of Louboutin’s verse Jimmy Choo’s she felt a familiar sensation start to build in her chest. That darkness she had hidden so well before their town had come tumbling down. Digging her nails into her palms she glanced at their friends and almost wanted to scream at them for trying to escape the evil that was Riverdale. All of them were no longer living in the safe happy hamlet they once were. Reggie was a drug dealer, Josie was basically being Jackson 5’d by her mayor of a mother, Kevin was what seemed to be the only sexual minority in this whole fucking town, Veronica’s father was a Bernie Madoff wannabe, Archie’s dad had been shot and almost bled out in his arms. Then there was Cheryl. Her father KILLED her twin brother and Betty was pretty sure the red headed girl had burnt her own house down. And here they were casually discussing things that sounded like they were scripted by the writers of a CW show. Maybe they could just slide back into the easy high school roles doled out to them but Betty couldn’t. She had seen a side of herself that she couldn’t unsee.  
“I forgot something in the Blue and Gold office.” She blurts out while gathering her things quickly. The faster she could leave the better, her palms were stinging.  
“That’s our Coop.” Reggie laughed loudly. “Business as usual.”  
“Always.” She manages to respond while rather ungracefully removing herself from the table. Muttering a quick goodbye the blonde power walked off. She had no idea where she was headed but she knew she couldn’t be there pretending to be perfectly perfect. After a few minutes she found herself on a side of the school no one ever travelled to in the winter. Letting out a harsh breath Betty leaned her ponytail back against the cool bricks attempting to calm herself down. She didn’t even realize she wasn’t alone until she heard a voice.  
“Aren’t you the girl the janitor was obsessed with?” The voice said not cruelly as one would expect but with an almost apathetic curiosity.  
“Yep.” She responds turning to face the voice only to be met with blue eyes accompanied by dark thick hair and damn did that gang banger have a great jawline.  
“That’s fucked up.” He days before taking a long drag from the cigarette Betty hadn’t even noticed. Watching the paper burn down as he inhaled Betty couldn’t help but like the simplicity of it. It was burning and turning to smoke. Eventually the changes would make it non existent just like the girl she used to be.  
“Want one?” The leather clad boy asks holding the pack out to her and she realizes she’s been staring.  
“Never had one.” She answers.  
“Suit yourself Blondie.”  
“I never said I didn’t want one.” Betty quips grabbing his arm before he can pocket the small carton. With a smirk Jughead pulls one out and sets it in her outstretched palm. “And my name’s Betty.”  
“I know.” He says holding his lighter out, the flame ready to light the small stick now between her lips.  
Betty has seen enough movies and tv shows to know the first inhale won’t go well so she’s prepared for the loud hacking cough that follows. What she wasn’t prepared for was the feeling of release the filling of her lungs offers her. Taking a few smaller tentative puffs Betty concedes to the idea she could get used to smoking.  
The pair stands both leaning against the cold wall of the school finishing their cigarettes in silence. It isn’t until the bell rings signifying the end of lunch that one of them speaks.  
“Names Jughead by the way.” He says hauling his messenger bag over his broad shoulders.  
“I know.” She replies shouldering her pink Jansport. “Thanks for the cigarette.”  
“Anytime.”


	2. Chapter 2

It turned out that anytime was almost every lunch period after that for the next two weeks. Betty would join Jughead up against the brick wall. He’d offer her a cigarette, and the two would smoke in relative silence. Every once in a while one of them would speak sharing small facts about themselves.  
“I cut a tattoo out of a woman’s skin.”  
“I once almost boiled Chuck Clayton alive.”  
They are coming to the end of week three when things finally shift. Betty shows up to their spot a little bit later than usual looking agitated and Jughead feels inclined to comment.  
“You good?” He grunts holding out the pack of cigarettes he’s been keeping in his bag for her.   
“How can they just pretend everything is so fucking normal?” She huffs ignoring the the cigarettes, pacing furiously. “This isn’t normal. We aren’t normal! We are all fucked up. They just want me to pretend I’m all pink sweaters and sweet perfume again? I watched a man get shot in front of me Jughead. And you know what as horrifying as it was I loved the rush, I loved knowing he was gone and I was right fucking there. What is wrong with me?”  
“Nothing.” He snaps and it occurs to Betty that she’s never heard that level of authority in his voice (and yes it turned her on). “Some people face tough shit and let it force them backwards. Some people run for cover and safety when things get dark. People like you and me Betty, like us, we embrace the dark. That darkness makes you better. You become a better version of yourself. If they don’t get that then fuck them.”  
“Like us.” She murmurs taking a step towards him, the pair now standing maybe 6 inches from each other.  
“Like us.” He nods tucking his unlit cigarette behind his ear having pocketed her pack long ago.  
As it turns out “like us” was the right response because by the time the bell rang the small blond was making sure there were no grass stains on the knees of her jeans while Jughead was buckling his pants with a dazed and satisfied smirk.   
It takes a while for her friends to notice but once they do they won’t let it go.   
“Where do you keep disappearing to B?” Veronica whines as she follows closely behind Betty on her way to class.   
“Nowhere V.”   
“Well when I call and you don’t answer, you’re not with any of the others. So where are you?”  
Betty let’s out a sigh. It’s not like they had been hiding what they were doing. On the contrary she had thought the fact that she and Jughead had become something was fairly obvious. They walked to class together, went to Pop’s, not to mention the fact that anytime they passed each other in the hallway he found a way to touch her.   
“I’m fucking Jughead Jones.”   
“Ha ha. Very funny Elizabeth.” Her best friend huffs clearly annoyed. “I’m beginning to think you’re avoiding me.”  
It was that comment that made Betty feel a little bit bad. It was true that most of her time had been spent with Jughead. There was just something about his darkness that drew her to him, he was magnetic.  
“Fine don’t believe me.” She finally says. “But I’m not avoiding you. How about a sleepover tonight?”  
The smile that takes over the brunettes face makes Betty’s heart swell. She may be changing but she would always love making her best friend happy.  
“7:30?” The pearl obsessed girl asks and the blond nods in response. “Oh and obviously Joe and Cher are coming.”  
“Oh obviously V!” Betty smiles.


	3. Chapter 3

Betty makes her way to the entrance of the Pembrooke her bag filled with the necessities (several bottles of wine, many snacks, and her cigarettes).   
“Knock, Knock!” She calls walking into the apartment.   
“Betty!” Veronica calls out happily rushing to grab her bag from her.   
“Hey Coop!” Josie greets from the couch at the same time that Cheryl nods barely looking up from her phone.   
“Hey guys.” She smiles back, plopping down in the couch next to Josie.  
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!” The dark skinned girl squeals.  
“I know. That’s what Veronica was saying.” Betty laughs accepting the glass of champagne Cheryl offers her. She had missed them. It was always fun when they were together that wasn’t the issue. The issue was that she felt like she was trying to be something she wasn’t when she was with her friends. With Jughead she felt like she could let even her darkest thoughts out and he would embrace them.   
“What are these??!” Veronica shrieks pulling Betty out of her thoughts. In the dark haired girl’s hand were Betty’s cigarettes.   
“You know what they are!” She says with an eye roll.  
“Since when did my picture perfect cousin add cigarettes to her lineup?” Cheryl drawls suddenly interested.  
“It’s been a couple months. Juggie offered me one and it stuck.”   
“Juggie?” Her red headed cousin inquired her phone now nowhere to be seen. Apparently this was finally more interesting than the tiny piece of tech.  
“Jughead.” Betty says bluntly.   
“Jones?!” Veronica shrieks again and Betty winces.   
“Inside voice V.” Josie shoots out before turning to face her blonde friend. “So your friends with the leader of the Serpents?”  
“I mean I guess we’re friends.”  
“What’s that mean?” Veronica asks far calmer than before.  
“They’re fucking.” Cheryl says before the blonde can respond.   
“Essentially.” Betty agrees with a small smile towards her cousin. At least one of them had been paying attention.   
“Ho-ly SHIT.” Her best friend gasps. “You weren’t lying earlier.”  
“Course not!” She laughs back.  
“He’s hot.” Josie proclaims with a look on her face like she had been thinking quite hard about it. “I mean in that whiney, white boy, artsy James Franco way but still.”  
“Are you are sure about this B?” Veronica asks looking worried. “He’s in a gang. Hell he is the gang.”  
“I know.” She replies laying a hand on her friends hoping to comfort her. “But there is something about him. He gets me and I get him. When I’m with him it’s like I don’t need to think it’s as simple as breathing.”  
“He’s a psycho.” Cheryl says seriously and all eyes land back on Betty.  
“And I’m not?”

A few hours later the hullabaloo surround Betty’s love life had settled. The girls were now sprawled out on the carpet each holding a bottle of wine.   
“Josie,” Cheryl snaps. “Truth or dare?”  
“Truth.”   
“Do you regret dating Reggie instead of me? Because I would.”  
“You know it Cher Bear.”  
“Good.” The red head simpers before winking. There was no bad blood between the two, they all knew that, but Cheryl Blossom would never miss a chance to talk herself up.  
“Betty!” Josie says still laughing. “Truth or-“  
Before the Pussycat could finish Betty’s phone rang startling the group. Glancing at the screen Betty shoots the group an apologetic smile.   
“Sorry! It’s Jug. I’ll just be a minute!” She insists trying to get up but Veronica practically jumps on her.   
“No! Take it here!” The brunette says excitedly. “I need to hear this relationship firsthand.”   
Rolling her eyes fondly Betty settles back onto the carpet before answering.  
“Hello?” She says into the phone and immediately hears the sounds of a party.  
“Baaabe.” He groans and Betty knows her friends can hear him. “Where are you? This party is boring as fuck but I promised my dad I’d collect tonight.”  
While the others girls all shared a look of confusion she knew exactly what he meant. Jughead and Toni were the ones they sent to get cash from teens (and occasionally adults) who owed the Serpents money.   
“I’m at Veronica’s. I told you we were having a sleepover.”  
“Shit,” He curses. “You’re right. You don’t think they’d be down for a party do you?”   
Before she could even ask the group Cheryl speaks up.  
“Obviously Crybaby. Send the address of the Southside hovel we will be visiting.”  
“I barely heard that but it sounded insulting enough to be the red one.” He laughs and the sound gives Betty butterflies.  
“It was. We’ll meet you in like a half hour. The usual place?”  
“Yeah. Thank you for coming baby. I honestly don’t think I could last the rest of the night without getting my hands on your-“  
“And that’s enough.” She rushes to interrupt him before he says something her friends will hold over her head until she dies. “See you soon J.”  
Slamming the phone down Betty look up at her friends. Cheryl looks bemused, Josie looks scandalized, and Veronica looks absolutely gleeful.  
“Guess we’re headed south.” Veronica sing songs. “I need to know just what he wants to get his hands on.”


	4. Chapter 4

By the time they arrive the party is in full swing. They were a little later than anticipated, Betty’s friends having ambushed her putting her in something a bit more revealing than she would have chosen. Approaching the run down house she immediately recognizes one of the boys huddled around what appeared to be a fire in an old gasoline barrel.   
“Hey Sweet Pea!” Betty calls out happily forcing her group to approach.   
“Hey Betty!” The usually gruff boy responds with almost a smile on his face. Unfortunately after letting his eyes take over the rest of the girls any smile he had was dropped. “And half of the River Vermons.”   
“Excuse me sentient leather jacket?” Cheryl snaps quickly. “I couldn’t quite make that out over how loudly your neck tattoo is crying out for mommy’s attention.”  
“Cheryl!” Betty chastised. “I’m sorry Sweets. She’s just-“  
“A bitch?” He supplies almost sounding impressed at her cousins lack of fear.  
“The biggest.” The red head supplies and Betty feels like she just watched two wild animals concede to one another.  
“Where’s Jug?” She asks hoping to avoid anymore conflict this early in the night. Taking a long drag from his cigarette Sweet Pea motions towards the house.  
“Our fearless leader awaits,” He jokes. “Oh and Toni isn’t here so he might need you to tag in.”  
“Mmm Hmm.” She hums. “Thanks Sweet Pea.”  
“Anything for our Princess.”  
Waving a quick goodbye Betty motions for her friends to follow her into the house.   
“What did he mean by you tapping in?” Veronica asks as the four of them weave through the crowd.  
“Well,” She says scanning the room for her tall brooding boy. “There’s stuff Jug is in charge of and um well- like he usually takes care of it with his friend Toni, but it seems she’s not here.”  
“And that includes you how?” Her friend prods, one perfect eyebrow raised.  
“Sometimes when he needs a girl to collect the money for the Serpents and when Toni is busy, which is hardly ever, I offer to help out.”  
“What?!”   
“V it’s not that big a deal ok? Jug is there the whole time. He would never let anyone hurt me.”   
“Speak of the devil.” Josie interrupts pointing to a countertop in the kitchen they just entered. Perched on top in all his glory was Jughead. He had a cigarette in one hand and a bottle of Evan Willams in the other looking like every mother’s nightmare.   
“Betts!” He calls out hopping of the counter. In response the group of Serpents (and admirers she acknowledges bitterly) part letting him come to her.  
“Juggie!” She replies with a happy sigh. As her makes his way towards her she takes him in. His leather jacket is nowhere to be found, instead he has a worn white T-shirt stretched across his broad chest. His black jeans hugged him just right accentuating his strong legs. And now all she could think about was being on her knees between them. Fuck she needed to get it together.  
“Damn B. Okay I get it.” Veronica murmurs behind her.  
“He’s not completely tragic.” Cheryl agrees. When he finally reaches them he holds the bottle out to Fangs who is next him. Before she can even get out a Hello, his lips are on hers in a searing kiss. It’s when she starts to open her mouth to let his tongue in that she remembers her friends and quickly pulls away.   
“My friends are here Jug.” She giggles turning towards the girls. “Guys you know Jughead right? Jughead this is Veronica, Josie, and Cheryl.”  
“I’ve seen em around.” He says with a nod towards the girls. “Thanks for letting our girl come. I missed her.”  
“Our girl?” Veronica asked with a predatory smile. “You’re still earning that title.”  
“Fair enough.” He smiles wrapping his arms around Betty and letting his chin rest on her head.   
“We were just about to play flip cup.” Fangs speaks up. “You guys in?”  
“Only if it’s Vixens against Serpents.” Cheryl insists and Betty can’t help but think it’s because she has been ignored for most of the conversation.  
“That can be arranged.” Jughead quips back shouting a few nick names over his shoulder and suddenly a leather clad brood appears. “Shall we?”  
“We shall.” Betty responds with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are perfect amazing angels for even clicking on this.  
> I’ve reworked it and have somewhat of an idea how much longer it will be but it’s still up to my brain.  
> Come be my friend on Tumblr: awkwrdcait

After a few rounds it was obvious that the Serpents weren’t prepared for what was coming. The quartet of cheerleaders out chugging the boys and displaying their dexterity time and time again.  
“I’ll be back.” Betty says after a round in which she and Jughead were head to head (she obviously beat him, not even spilling a drop of jungle juice on her white shirt).  
“Don’t be long.” He sighs. “I’ll miss you.”  
“Of course you will.” She laughs before planting a kiss on his cheek.  
Making her way back through the crowd Betty rounds the corner that leads her to the bathroom. Before she makes it to the room though she is stopped short.  
“I just don’t get what he sees in her.” She hears a high pitched voice whine. “She’s just so Northside and pink and -“  
“Blonde?” Another voice cuts in.  
“Exactly.”  
“Jughead could do so much better.”  
“Right? She’s such a little bitch.”  
As the girls keep insulting her Betty feels her blood start to boil. These Southside girls knew nothing about her and yet here they were talking shit.  
“Girl has no fight I bet you could snatch Juggie right out from under her.” One of them says. In response the other laughs as the both bound out of the bathroom. Ducking around the corner Betty makes sure she can’t be seen, yes she has fight but every battle is best waged with a plan. Betty Cooper doesn’t do anything unprepared. Just ask Chuck.  
After a few minutes Betty wanders back to her friends. The girls seemed to have integrated into the group of serpents seamlessly. Cheryl was playing beer pong with Sweetpea of all people, while Josie and Veronica laughed alone to a story Jughead was telling.  
“Hey B.” Veronica smiles at her when she sidles up next to her boyfriend.  
“What’s wrong?” Jughead instantly questions and Betty can’t ignore the impressed look on her best friends face.  
“Nothing.” She huffs quickly.  
“Yeah right.” Veronica laughs.  
“Richie Rich is right.” Juggie adds with a nod of agreement.  
Betty would have laughed at the fact that the two of them made such a good team if she wasn’t so pissed.  
“Just some girls talking about me-“ Betty starts before being cut off at the exact same time by her boyfriend and best friend.  
“Who?!” The pair snap in unison.  
“I don’t know.” She quickly back peddles knowing that both of them were prone to over reaction especially when it came to protecting her.  
“She does though.” Josie sighs and look she shoots her does nothing to diminish the dark skinned girls smirk.  
“Betty,” Jughead says laying a hand on her lower back. “At least tell me if it was one of the Serpent girls. You know I won’t let that stand.”  
“It wasn’t.” She assures him. “They were Serpent adjacent.”  
“Who?” He pleads in a soft voice and fuck she caved.  
“The one with the blue bangs and her friend in the denim skirt.”  
“So tacky.” Veronica huffs.  
“Yeah light wash denim is just embarrassing in this day and age.” Josie agrees. At her friends comments the blonde let’s out a small laugh, but it quickly dies when the Serpent with them speaks.  
“Oh excellent.” He says looking down at his girlfriend with an excited glint in his eye. “This is perfect.”  
“What do you mean Jug?”  
“Toni’s not here.” He responds looking at her like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.  
“So?” She huffs and she can tell he thinks it’s cute by the way he bites his lip.  
“Guess who owes us money.”  
That’s when she gets it. The girls who felt the need to insist that they belonged with Jughead Jones instead of her were in debt with the Serpents (ergo him). Even better, she was about to go force them to pay.  
“Fuck.” She gasps with a smile on her face that her friends had never seen.  
“Damn B. That smile is terrifying.” Josie says cautiously.  
“It’s sexy.” Jughead corrects pulling his Serpent jacket out of nowhere. With a smile and a nod in the direction of the girls who minutes earlier had pissed her off, he passes her the leather.  
“Let’s go.” Betty insists while sliding the jacket over her shoulders.  
“After you babe.”  
As they approached she saw the girls eyes widen. It was probably the fact that Jughead was headed their way but Betty felt a swell of pride when the noticed her in his jacket.  
“I thought non members couldn’t wear the emblem.” The one with the blue bangs shot out accusatorially when the couple landed in front of them.  
“How the fuck would you know Cricket?” Jughead snaps back. “And speaking of the Serpents, lets go outside we all have some stuff to talk about.”  
“We’re good here.” Her friend snickers. Clearly they assumed that because Betty was with him it wasn’t that serious.  
“Suit yourself Ginger.” He sighs letting out a whistle and suddenly they were flanked by Sweetpea and Fangs. “All you Betts.”  
Again Betty smiles and when Cricket and Ginger’s eyes widen she assumes it’s just as wild as before.  
“It seems you owe the Serpents some money.” She says sweetly crouching down so she is eye level with the pair. Both girls seem to panic looking anywhere but at her.  
“Cricket right?” She coos menacingly tugging the red solo cup out of the girl’s hands harshly. “Where’s Juggie’s money?”  
“I don’t have it.” She says weakly glancing at her friend.  
“Then who the hell does?” The blonde quips absolutely loving the fear in their eyes. “Ginger?”  
The girl in question jumps and quickly shakes her head. For all the shit they had talked they sure were quiet now, so Betty told them as much.  
“I thought you were both ‘southside’ enough for my boyfriend? I thought, “ she pauses leaning in towards the pair. “I was a little bitch. But here you both are not saying a damn thing?”  
Instead of responding both girls still sat staring blankly back at her. Huffing out a sigh at their lack of response, Betty plants herself on Cricket’s lap.  
“Where’s the money hun?” She asks in a voice that would have been considered sweet if it weren’t for the vice grip Betty now had on the hair at the back of her head.  
“I just need a couple of days.” Cricket insists through a wince.  
“Was this a warning Jug?”  
“Sure wasn’t Betts.”  
Hearing the smirk in his voice Betty looks over her shoulder at him and her breath catches. The way he was looking at her said it all. He accepted her. Every single version of Betty was a version he liked. She could fall in love with that look.  
“I promise I can get it.” Cricket mumbles breaking the pairs focus. “I PROMISE.”  
“Tomorrow.” Jughead barks his tone making it clear there would be no arguments. “If we don’t get it I’ll let my girl loose on you again.”  
“They may not hit girls.” Betty says through her smile at hearing Jughead calling her his girl. “But I do.”  
With a pat (that verged on a slap) to the blue banged girl’s cheek she rights herself. Without even a second of hesitation Jughead wraps his arms around her and kisses her long and deep.  
“God you’re perfect.”  
“Back at ya.” She says with a wink. “Time for more flip cup?”  
And with that Serpent prince and his princess sauntered away with his friends in tow, leaving behind two terrified and gobsmacked girls.


End file.
